In the Astronomy Tower
by Laura Evans
Summary: It's almost sunrise and Ginny couldn't sleep. What happens when she discovers that she's not the only one? DMGW


Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the books doesn't belong to me! I only own the plot.  
  
A/N: I recommend listening to Celine Dion's "Beauty and the Beast" while reading this story.  
  
Ginny walked down the corridor quietly, peeking around the corners for any prefects or teachers patrolling in the halls. But there wasn't anybody, she was all alone. Ginny sighed and pulled her dark red cardigan more tightly around her shoulders. She was wearing a long white nightgown and this cardigan that Bill had sent to her for her 15th birthday that had been just a week ago. Her hair was loose on her shoulders and upper back.  
  
It was late, or maybe early is a better word – the sun was about to rise. The halls of the old castle were empty and cold, not to mention dark. She barely saw where she was going. Despite of the cold and darkness she continued her miserable journey.  
  
She was now used to it – she hadn't been sleeping since she came back to Hogwarts for her fifth year. For the first weeks she had been shifting and turning in her bed for all night but after some time she found it useless and instead walked around the castle every single night. She had found the castle very mysterious and beautiful in the night when there was silence and peace all over the castle. So she wandered around the castle, talked with the portraits, sat by the lake, sometimes peeked into the kitchen and asked for hot tea and some pie from the house elves.  
  
Tonight, she decided to go to the Astronomy Tower. She thought that in the night, Astronomy Tower was the most magnificent place on the entire world. It was so quiet there, you could only hear the peaceful sounds of the Forbidden Forest and look at the empty grounds of majestic Hogwarts and think about everything.  
  
So Ginny headed her steps to the highest tower and just when she thought that she was lost, she was there. To get into the tower you had to know the password and whisper it into the ear of a painting of a medieval wizard. Ginny bowed and whispered "Stars are shining and Moon is bright – It's night." The wizard in the painting nodded and moved slowly to open a narrow staircase behind the painting. Ginny smiled gratefully and entered.  
  
She walked up the stairs and finally stood behind a wooden door. She opened it quietly, stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Then she turned around and gasped. She wasn't alone in the Astronomy Tower at all! There was another student standing by the window, a boy with a black coat on and his head was bowed as he was looking out of the window. When Ginny gasped he quickly turned around and lifted his eyes.  
  
Ginny gasped once more. It was Draco Malfoy! Then she suddenly noticed tears prickling in his eyes as well as making their way down his cheeks. Draco – crying? "Wha...what happened?" she asked quietly, stepping forward. "I...I just...got a letter. My...parents. They are dead." Draco said, breathing heavily and turning away.  
  
Ginny noticed a letter clutched into the boy's left hand. "Oh my god," she whispered, her eyes big in shock. "It's terrible!" she said, moving towards the boy. Draco looked away, tears escaping from his cold grey eyes, now filled with shock, fear and great sadness.  
  
Ginny lifted her hand and touched the boy's shoulder. He flinched but didn't move away. She moved a little closer and turned the boy to face her. She lifted a lock of his silvery blonde hair and looked to his eyes.  
  
She smiled a little bit and said: "I'm sorry for you. But you have to move on. You're not the only one. You're strong, you can manage." "But what if I don't?" he whispered quietly.  
  
Ginny smiled. "You do," she whispered and moved her lips closer to the boy's face. Draco pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers. After a moment he pulled his head back and turned away again. He put his hand around Ginny and pulled her closer. She smiled and propped her head on his shoulder.  
  
And they stood there, holding to each other and looking out of the window as the sun rose and the darkness gave way to a new day.  
  
A/N: How was it? Did you like it? Review please! Constructive criticism is welcomed, flames are NOT! Thank you for reading my story!  
  
All the best,  
Laura Evans  
  
XXX 


End file.
